Process and machine for making bricks



W. H. HAWS.

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING BRICKS.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 29.1920. 1 4250141 Patented Aug. 8, 11922.

INVENTOR 7Q wa 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. H. HAWS. PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING BRICKSL APPLICATION FILEDJULY 29,1920.

' Patented Aug. 8, 1922 v mzmw.

2 SHEETS$HEET 2.

INVENTOR V. W fiZ flaws TTORNEQF \VILLIAM H. HAWS, 03E J'OH NSTOWN,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F GIVE-FOURTH T0 HENRY Y. HAW'S, OF JOHNSTOW'N,PENNSYLVANIA, AND ONE-FOURTH TO DAVID BARRY, 01F JOl-INSTOWN,PENNSYLVANIA.

EROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING BRICKS.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Aug. S, 1%22.

Application fi1ed July 29, 1920. Serial No.399fi42.

machines.

in manufacturing brick from silica and similar materials, problems areencountered. very different from the problems which must be solved inthe'manufacture of brick clay. @rdi arily clay, when compressed in amold, will spread sidewise. in other words, clay will yield laterallytodownward pressure, thus filling a mold with the result that the bricksso molded have sharp and continuous corners. TVhen working with silicaor the like, the action ofthe raw material under pressure is entirelydifferent. Silica, when compressed in a mold by a plunger operating fromabove, will not spread laterally Jtofill the corners of the mold; hencesilica. bricks, in spite of their many advantages, have long been notedfor their unevenness, br' "ks formed in the same operation vary indensity and in dimensions and frequently having rough or uneven corners.N ow silica, chrome and magnesite bricks have their greatest utilityperhapsin'the manufacture of furnaces of different kinds. If bricks ofthese materials can be made with uniform density and dimensions it wouldbe possible to build furnaces having tighter joints and therefore havinga cosiderably longer life.

The general object of the invention is to )l'OYiClG a machine which willproduce brick of absolutely uniform dimensions, weight and density, evenwhen manufacturing silica, chrome or magnesite, or

In practical brick making, it is well known that there no weighing ormeasuring device wnich will deliver brick material into the mold toproduce unforin dimensions in the finished product. The only way for thefinished product'to be uniform is to first provide a surplus ofmaterial, then compress the material in the mold while proi "n9;meansforthe-surplus to get away from the mold. invention to provide acompressor having invented a This invention relates to brick moldingsimilar brick.

It is'a furtherobject of this" blocks so shaped that the surplusmaterial goes to the center of the blocks and'is not compressed but isheaped up in the form of mound. on the mold.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide a retaineradapted to be placed on top of the mold so as to hold a large surplus ofmaterial over the-top of the mold prior to the pressing of the materialwithin the mold to prevent the material from being spattered about whenthe compressor is driven down into the mold.

A still further object isto provide means for clamping the mold upon themachine during the compressing operation.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming part of thisspecification, with the understanding,however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformitywith the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified so longas such changes and modifications snark .no material departure from thesalient features of the invention as expressed. in the appended claims.

In the drawing r 1g. 1' 1s a perspective view of a simple form of brickmolding machine showing the retainer in position upon the mold and thecompressor removed therefrom.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section through the compressor, retainer,the mold and the brand plate, prior to the compressing operation. 7

*Fig. 3 is .a similar view showing the position of the parts after thecompressor has been driven down to its full extent.

Fig. l is a transverse cross section through he parts shown in Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of block which may beused on the compressor.

Fig. 6 is aperspective view of a second modified form of block.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a third modified form of block.

The numeral 1.0 designates the base :of the brick molding machine, which:base has a transversely-extending platform 11 'designed to receive thecompressor after it :has been removed from within the retainer followingthe compressing operation. 12 designates an extension of the base 10,which extension has its upper face fiushwith the top of the base 10 butbelow the upper side of'th'e platform 11. The extension 12 extendscrosswise of the base 10 and' must have a length at least equal to themold, since it provides a support upon which the mold is held during thepressing of the material.

Rising from the base 10 is a pair of stand ards or guides 13 in spacedparallel relation. A striker block or hammer 14 is secured to the lowerend of a bar 17 in turn joined to a plurality of cross pieces 15, 16which slide along the guide 13. The upper end of the bar '17 isconnected to any power'means whereby the bar and hence the hammer blockmay be raised and lowered. In Fig. 1 a cable 18 is shown connected tothe upper end of the bar 17 but this showing is merely illustrative, andinstead a steam driven pis- 7 ton or the like may be directly connectedto the bar 17.

Upon-the base 10 at one side of the extension 12, a'clamp is provided ofany convenient construction. A simple form of .clamp'is' illustrated inFig. 1 and comprises a sliding member 19 with an upturned flange or lipadapted to be pressed against the side of the mold and brand plate. Thismember 19 is pivotally connected at its other end with a lever 21pivotally mounted by an element 20 upon the base. Thus a toggle clamp isprovided and the lever 21, when swung in one direction, will pull themember 19 away from the brand plate and mold, while when "moved in theother direction, will press these two members against the side of theplatform 11, which, it will be remembered, rises above the base 10. Itis necessary that some means for clamping the mold be provided so thatunder the heavy hammer blows from the block 14 during the compressingoperation the mold will not be moved along the base.

As is customary in manufacturing brick, the present apparatus employs abrand plate 22 which has brands provided at suitable intervals, so thateach brick molded by the apparatus will have the desired insignia formedupon one face of the same. The brand plate forms the bottom of the moldduring the compressing operation, as is indicated in the drawing, themold being placed over the brand plate and held against lateral movementby engagement with a plurality of knobs 23. These knobs fit the insideof the mold and effectively prevent any shifting either laterally orlongitudinally of the mold along the brand plate.

The'mold here employed is of common construction, comprising a pluralityof rectangularcompartments each adapted to receive material enough toform a single brick.i Partitions 24 are joined at their ends to sidewalls 25 running longitudinally of the mold, each partition 24 having awidth equal to that of theside wall 25. The mold may be of any size toform any desired number'of brickshaving any desired shape.

The showing of the drawing is merely illusafter referred to as theretainer, is provided so as to hold a surplus of thebrick materialabove-the mold prior to the compressing operation. This retainercomprises a pair of cross pieces 27 and sides 29 joined by webs 28similar to the webs 26; The cross pieces 27 are short of the ends of thesides 29, as shown and are designed to seat upon the upper edges of theendmost partitions 24, the lower edges of the cross pieces 27 beingrabbeted as indicated at 31 for this purpose. The sides 29 are alsorabbeted as indicated at .30 and rest upon the upper edges of the sideplates 25 of the mold, as shown in Fig. 4. Thus the retainer fits overthe mold 'and is held securely thereon against both longitudinal andtransverse movement. The'retainer has: a height fully equal to that ofthe mold so that approximately twice as much brick material. may beheaped upon the mold as the mold itself will hold with the materialpacked loosely.

:The compressor, which forms a principal part of-the present invention,comprises a flat plate 32 having a plurality of spaced rectangular dieblocks'33 secured to one side or face thereof. In Figs. 2, 3 and 4,these die blocks are shown as having trough-like cavities or cutawayportions 34 extending entirely through the thickness of the blocks andnarrowest at the upper ends of the blocks orwhere the blocks join theplate 32. Expressed. in other terms, these cutaway portions of theblocks are frusto-pyramidal in form. The plate 32 has slots 35 extendingtransversely of the plate, there being one slot, 35 for each block 33and the openings 34 of the blocks joining with the slots 25. 'Eachcavity 34 is narrower at the bottom than the width of the block so as toprovide a flat pressing face all around the periphery of the blocl j InFig. 5, a modified form of block 36 is shown, wherein the transversebase edge 37 is approximately twice as thick as the longitudinal edge38; A. cutaway portion 39 is provided similar to the portion 34, but inthis construction the plate 32 has a series of perforations 40 in placeof the slots 35. In Fig. 6, a second modified form of block 41 is shownhaving a. depression 42 terminating in a bottom 48 which is rectangularand closes the depression. In this form, no slots or perforations in theblock supporting plate will be provided. In Fi 7, a further form ofblocks is depicted, wherein the block 44 has straight base edges 4C5 anda depression 46 concaved longitudinally of the block.

The method of making brick from the apparatus which has been describedwill now be outlined. First, the mold is laid over. the b and plate andthe retainer seated upon the mold. Then the silica or otherbrick-forming material is heaped into the mold and retainer until it islevel with the top of the retainer. Next, the compressor laid in theposition illustrated in Fig. 2. so that it rests upon the materialwithin the retainer. Then the mold. and retainer are placed in positionupon the base ofthe machine and the mold is clamped. The hammer willthen be dropped upon the upper side of the compressor the necessaryplurality of times until the blocks of the compressor assume theposition illustrated in Fig. 8 with the under side of the plate coming;in contact with the upper edges ol the retainer. The compressor will nowbe removed and may be laid in position illustrated in Fig. 1. as thereis no pressure on the material which enters the cavities. the compressorallows the material to remain in the loose state just as it was in theretainer previous to the pressure being put thereon. and when theretainer and compressor are removed the material which was in thecauties remains heaped up in the form of a mound on the mold. Theretainer will now be removed Then the hammer ill be dropped again so asto beat down e enlv the material 11311131111119 on the top a m 1 .U a otthe mold arrer the withdrawal of the r l L compressor. .l he clamp onthe edge of the machuie will then be manipulated to release the moldthen it will be'pushed forward from its pos tion under the hammer,allowing: another mold to take? is position. The mold which has beenpushed from under the hammer will be received by the worlnncn. who will,with a tool used for the pose. sweep the remaining surplus maial e1, iththe top edge of the mold. The mold will be so as to rest upon pallet andthe brand plate will be removed. Then a push board will be pressed downinto the mo d so as to cause brick to fallout of e mold an d rest uponthe pallet. The bricks ill now be taken to the drying ovens and whentl'ioroughly dried taken to the k lns to be burned. There will be at is"l" sir complete sets employed, each com- POSQtl of one branc plate, onemold, one retainerzone compressor, so that when the hammer has completedits operation, other sets are ready to take the place of the one mold.

under the hammer. Then the. same process gone through as before, and bytlns means 1 the hammers are kept busily engaged.

Tn the patent obtained by me Nov. 12, 1918, No, 1,284,670, a brickmolding machine is described having a com n'essin g cap plate 18 whichforces silica into a mold 20. lt has been found that because of thepeculiarity of silica as outlined in the forewards of the presentspecification that however great the pressure exerted by the cap plate18 the silica will not be compressed to more than a certain extentwithin the mold 20. The upper edges of the partitions of the moldreceive most of the thrust from the cap plate 1.8 and prevent anincrease of pressure on the part of the latter from producing acorresponding increase in deny in the bricks formed by the mold. Tpresent apparatus away from this (lilfieuity by spacing the blocks ofthe compressor apart a distance somewhat greater than the thickness ofthe partitions 2a of the mold. Each block exerts all of its pressuredirectly downwardly on the silica and no pressure whatever upon theupper edges of the mold partitions, The bases of the bloc as arerectangular and thecavities of the blocks are central thereof so thatthe greatest pressure upon the silica is exerted where the corners ofthe brick are formed. Thus the driving downward ot the compressor causesthe silica to fill the molds completely and continued downward movementof the compressor makes the silica in the interior ofthe brick compact.The surplus silica is received within. the cavities of the blocks and ifthere be a large enough surplus. it will pass out through the slots 35or perforations d0. The peculiar shape of cavities 3 1-, 89, 42 isdesigned especially for work. with such. brick-forming material assilica which does not flow laterally under pressure from above but iscompressed only in the lines of the pressure.

ll hile the compressor has been shown as an element distinct from thehammer, its plate may be secured to the under side of the hammer block'l.-i-, and if the mold is in proper position upon the base of themachine. the blocks of the compressor will be driven down through theretainer without exciting any pressure whatever upon the upper edges ofthe partitions of the mold. lt will be noted that the thickness of theblocks of the compressor is somewhat less than the depth of the retainerwhen seated on the mold so that when the compressor is driven into theretainer to its fullest extent, the. lower sides ol the blocks will bespaced a short distance above the upper side of the This is clearlyindicated in Fig. 3;

ll hat is claimed is I I i. In molding apparatus, the combination with.a mold, of means for compressing the within the mold, said means ini, adie block having a cavity in its :essing face, and an opening in the dieIV 1 i l block communicating with the top or said cavity tort-hedischarge of excess material from the cavity.

from lateral and longitudinal movement.

3, In moldingapparatus, the combination with a mold, of a retainer forholding excess material at the top of the mold, and a compressor havingdie blocks which are of a depth less than the depth of the retainer,said die blocks entering the retainer and compressing the materialtherein, whereby when fully compressed, the lower ends of. the dieblocks terminate short of the upper face of the mold.

4;, In molding apparatus, the combination with a mold having partitionsforming a plurality of compartments, of a compressor having a pluralityof die blocks correspond ing in number tothe compartments, said dieblocks being spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of saidp artitions, and a retaining means for excess material interposedbetween the mold and the compressor and supporting the compressor abovethe mold, whereby pressure on the upper edges oi the mold partitions isrelieved and the die blocks do not enter the compartments of the mold.

In molding apparatus, the combination With a mold, of means forcompressing the material Within the mold, said. means including a dieblock, and means for holding an excess of material upon the mold, saidmeans admitting movement of said die block into or out of the same, butrestraining the compressing means from entering the mold.

6. In molding apparatus, the combination With a mold having acompartment, means for holding an excess of material upon the mold andabove the compartment, of means for compressing the material Within themold compartment including a die bloc-k, said die block being so shapedas to compress the material near the Walls of the compartment withgreater force than the material removed from said Walls.

7. In molding apparatus, the combination With a mold having acompartment, of means for compressing the material Within the moldcompartment including a die block, said die block being so shaped as tocompress the material near the Walls of the compartment Withgreaterforce than the material removed from said Walls, and means for holdingan excess of material upon the mold, said means admitting said die blockbut M movement of the die block there in far enough to enter the mold.

8. In molding ap iaratus, the combination prevent i n with a mold, ofmeans for compressing the material Within the mold including a dieblock, and means to retain an excess of material upon the. mold, saidretaining means admitting said die block, the die block being adapted tocompress material held Within the vmold, said die block having a cavityso the mold, said die block having a cavity soc-onstructed that duringthe compressing operation some of the excess material may entirelythrough the die block and some ot the excess material will be receivedWithan the die block and left on top of the mold when the compressor isremoved.

.10...In molding apparatus, the combination with a mold, retaining meansfor excess material. fitting upon and supported by the mold, theinterior dimensions of said means being substantially those of the moldWhereby. material in the retainer may be passed Without resistance intothe mold, and, a compressor adapted to be received Within the retainerand having means to engage the same to stop the compressor-short oi themold.

11. In molding apparatus, the combination with a mold, of a retainert'orexcess material fitting upon and supported by the mold, said mold havinga plurality of compartments, a; compressor having a plurality oi? dieblocks'each of a size so that'it can be passed into'aco1npartment,thedie blocks being spaced apart, and the, retainer comprising an open'ilrame freely admitting the die blocks and-allowing material to passinto the spaces between the blocks.

l2. In molding apparatus, combination With a mold, of a retainer torexcess material fitting upon and supported. by the mold, said moldhaving a plurality of compartments, a compressor having; a plurality ofdie bloclis'each of a size so that it can be passed. intoa compartment,the die blocks being spaced apart, and means whereby the compressorengages With the retainer before its die blocks can enter themold toprevent further movement thereof.

13, In molding apparatus, the combination with a mold, of a retainer forexcess material fitting upon and supported by the mold,.said mold havinga plurality of compartments, a compressor havinga plurality of dieblocks each of a size so that it can be passed intoia compartment, thedie blocks being spaced apart, each of said die blocks having a cavityprovided on the compress ing tare thereol, and the retainer comprisingan open frame freely admitting the die blocks and allowing material topass into the spaces between the blocks.

ll. In i'rzolding apparatus, the combination with a mold, of a retainerfor excess material fitting upon and supported by the mold, said moldhaving a plurality of compartments, a coin'prcssor having 'a pluralityof die blocks each of a size so that, it can be passed into acompartment, the die blocks being spaced apart, each die block being soshaped as "to compress the material near the walls of each compartmentwith greater i'olrce than the material removed from said walls, and theretainer comprising an open frame freely admitting the die blocks andallowing material to pass into the spaces between the blocks.

15. In a molding apparatus, the combination with a mold havingcompartments, of a retainer for excess material supported on the mold,and a compressor comprising a plate having spaced openings therein, anda plurality of spaced die blocks adapted to pass into the retainer, eachdie block having a cavity communicating with one of said openings.

16. In molding apparatus, the combination with a mold havingcompartments, of a retainer for excess material supported on the mold,said retainer having a capacity at least equal to the mold, and acompressor comprising a plate having spaced openings therein. and aplurality of spaced die blocks adapted to be passed into the retainer,each die block having a cavity communicating with one of said openings,whereby excess material may pass into and through said cavities andopenings and into the spaces between the blocks upon movement of thesame into the retainer.

17. In molding apparatus, a mold, in combination with means for holdingan excess of material above the mold comprising a framelike memberhaving a pair of cross oieces and a pair of sides, the cross piecesbeing so shaped on their lower edges that the member seats upon the moldand is fitted to the same so that relative movement between the memberand mold is prevented. the cross pieces being short of the ends of themember, and webs joining the cross pieces to the sides.

18. In molding apparatus, a mold, in combination with means for holdingan excess of material above the mold comprising a framelike memberhaving a pair of cross pieces and a pair of sides, the cross piecesbeing so shaped on their lower edges that the member sea s upon the moldand is iitte'd to the same so that relative movement slots provided atregular intervals in said plate, plurality of rectangular die blockssecured upon one face of the plate and extending transversely in a rowand spaced equal distances apart, eaclifdie block having a cavityei'z'ten'ding 'therethrough and each cavity joining one of said slots,each cavity being irusto-py'ramid'al in form and having ioursid'es'. v

21. In m lding apparatus, a compressor comprising a flat plate, aplurality of rectangular die blocks secured upon one face of the plateand extending transversely in a row and spaced equal distances apart,each die block having a cavity extending therethrough, each cavity beingfrusto-pyramidal in form and having four sides.

22. In a molding apparatus, the combination with a mold, of a retainersupported upon the top of the mold to hold an excess of material for themold, a compressor having a die block with a cavity therein in itspressing face, said compressor entering the retainer and compressing thematerial thereinwhich fills the cavity and forms a mound, and a secondcompressor for compressing the mound and forcing it into the mold.

23. In a molding machine, a base of a size to hold a mold thereon, aplatform rising above said base and having a length equal to the lengthof the mold to be placed upon the base and a height above the basesubstantially that of the mold,-clamping means mounted upon the base andadapted to engage one side of the mold and press the other side thereofagainst said platform, and means mounted upon the base for causingcompression of the material within the mold when held in clampedposition upon the base.

24. The process of molding bricks from brick-forming material, whichconsists in supplying a mold with. an excess of the material, applyingpressure to the excess material at the walls of the mold with greaterforce than to the material removed from the walls until the excessmaterial has been compressed at the points near said walls substantiallyflush with the top of the mold,

the excess material removed from the walls being shaped in the form of amound which extends above the top of the mold, then applying pressure tothe mound until all the material is substantially fiush with the top ofthe mold, any excess material being removed therefrom.

25. The process of molding bricks from brick-forming material, whichconsists in filling the mold with the brick-forming material, thenproviding the mold with an eX- cess of the material, retaining theexcess material above the top of the mold, then compressing the materialby applying the principal pressure at and adjacent to and along thewalls of the'mold, so that the ex cess material at those points ispressed down into the mold, the rest of the excess material remaining ina substantially loose state but assuming a mound shape extending abovethe top of the mold, then removing the compressor and applying otherpressing means to the mound to force it into the mold until all thematerial is substantially flush with the top of the mold, and

finally smoothing off the top of the mold and removing anyexcessmaterial.

26. The process of molding bricks from brick forming material whichconsists in supplying a mold with an excess of material, simultaneouslycompressing a portion or the excess material and shaping the remainingportion in definite form, while at the same time relieving pressure onthe portion which is being shaped, then finally compressing all thematerial.

v27. The process of molding bricks from brick forming material which.consists in supplying a mold with an excess of material, compressingportions of the material near the walls of the mold with greater forcethan the material removed from saidwalls while relieving pressure onsaid last-mentioned portionot material, then finally compressing all thematerial.

I In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaflixed my signature.

WI IAM H. HAWs-

